Sealing device



Jan. 2, 1940. F. A. JIMERSON 2,185,812

SEALING DEVICE Filed Jan. 6, 1939 w w w .51 2 a? 45 1 1 f2 7 15 K v 1159 4'9 INVENTOR Fragmrflxllmer'son l-ns ATTORNEY Patented a 2, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Francis A. Jimerson, Athens, Pa., assignorto Ingersoll-Rand Company, Jersey City, N. 1., a corporation of NewJersey Application January 6, 1939, serial No. 249,612 3 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a sealing device for a multi-vane motorand more particularly it relates to a device for preventing leakage ofthe motor actuating fluid from the fluid conveying means whichissupplying fluid to drive fluid supplied by the other port and conduitwill drive the rotor in the opposite direction. In either arrangement itis important that no leakage occur between the respective conduits andports since, obviously, any leakage would reduce the emciency of thedrill and, in all probability, render it inoperative. In ordinarypractice, it is very diflicult to provide a tight union at the Junetionof each conduit with itsrespective port and,

at the same time, for a casing and rotor, which is easily removable forthe purpose of examination and repairs.

According y, it is 'an object of the present invention to provide asealing means for the ports and conduits which permits removal andreplacement of the rotor and its casing.

Another object-is to provide a device wherein leakage of fluid underpressure from a conduit between the casing and housing of the drill isprevented.

A further object is to provide means whereby fluid cannot leak from aconduit supplying fluid to actuate the rotor in one direction to aconduit adapted to supply fluidto actuate the rotor in the oppositedirection.

A still further oblect is to provide a simple,

efilcient and inexpensive seal which is readily adapted to .preventleakage in a drill.

Theseand other objects will be apparent from the following specificationand drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of aportion ofa multi-vane reversible drill and illustrates the applicationof the conduits lead directly to the reversing valve turn receives therotor generally indicated at I. The rotor comprises a rotor proper 9,(Fig. 2), mounted on a shaft ll, provided with slots I3 in which areplaced vanes I5 as will be seen from Fig. 2. .The vanes I5 are moved outagainst the 5 casing wall by centrifugal force during rotation of therotor so that they will wipe the inner wall of the casing 5 and preventany leakage therebetween. Of course air pressure or springs may besupplied to hold the vanes against the wall if deemed necessary. Therotor, beingof smaller radius than the radius of the casing recess, ismounted eccentrically with respect to the casing 5 and is supportedtherein by a plate I! on which shoulders l9 of the shaft are adapted torest. The shaft ll extends through this plate and is journalled in theroller bearing member 2|. The extension of the shaft beyond the journalis provided with a. gear 23 designed to mesh with a corresponding gear25. The gear 25 is, in turn, mounted on the shaft 21 of the drill whichis journalled in an appropriate bearing 29. It is thus apparent thatupon rotation of the rotor 1' the rill shaft 21 will be rotated by meansof the gears 23 and 25.

In order to further inclose the rotor in the cy- I lindrical casing, acover plate 3| rests on the upper walls of the casing 5 and has anappropriate passage through which the shaft I I extends in order that.it may be journalled in the bearing 33, positioned in a recess of theplate 3|.

The casing 5 is provided with two inlet ports and 31. The ports 35 and31 are located at opposite-sides of the casing and open into arcuatepassages 39 formed by the casing walls which, in turn, communicatedirectly with the interior of the casing 5. Each of these ports 35 and31 are also in communication with the conduits 4| and 43 which areprovided in the housing I. These which is not shown and are adapted toconvey fluid under pressure to the respective ports to supply the fluidnecessary to rotate the rotor.

The conduits II and )3 also serve as exhaust ports for the casing whenthey are not acting as a supply means. Thus when conduit 4! is supplyingfluid under pressure to port 35, the port 31- and conduit 43 are actingas exhaust port and conduit for the fluid in the casing 5. v

At the termination of the conduit 4|, adjacent so the port 35, thepassage is counterbored or en. larged in order that the sealing memberit may be placed therein. This sealing member as is made of a flexiblematerial which is resistant to the action of oil, being preferable ofrubber com as position, and as shown is cylindrical in form. The wallsof the cylinder are thin and terminate in an annular internal flange orlip at one end thereof. A similar gasket 49 is provided for the port 31and conduit 43. v

The gasket 45 serves the purpose of preventing any leakage of pressurefluid passing'through conduit 4| and port 35 through the space betweenthe casing 5 and the housing I.

With this construction, it is possible to slip the members 45 and 49into the enlarged portions of the conduits 4| and 43 so that the annularflanges contact the outer wall of the casing 5. Fluid under pressuresupplied through conduits 4| and 43 will then tend to expand thecylindrical portions of the sealing members 45 radially against thewalls of the enlarged passages of conduits 4| and 43 and the flanges orlips of the members will be pressed longitudinally against the wall ofthe casing 5. In this manner it is obvious that port 35 and conduit 4|as well as port 31 and conduit 43 are connected in a sealing engagementand any leakage between the housing I and the casing 5 is thusprevented. As is obvious, this gasket is easily removed and at the sametime, admits easy removal of casing 5 and the rotor I when it is deemedexpedient to remove these parts. Without this seal it would be necessaryto join the parts securely, which would be very cumbersome anddiflicult. What has been said with regard to gasket 45 applies equallywell to gasket 49.

It is very importantthat this sealing means be provided since it isapparent from the drawing that, in order to rotate the rotor in acounterclockwise direction, fluid under pressure must be admittedthrough conduit 4| and port 35 in order that it may impinge on vanes I5.

As the rotor 9 is rotated the space formed be tween the rotor 9, vanesl5 and the walls of the casing gradually increase due to the eccentricmounting of the rotor in the casing. Expansion of this space continuesuntil a vane uncovers the exhaust port 5| whereupon the fluid ispermitted to escape through this port. The fluid is not permitted toescape, however, until its motive force has been utilized.

So long as the fluid under pressure is entering port 35, the port 31cannot admit any fluid under pressure. If for any reason, this portshould admit the fluid under pressure, it is readily seen that thepressure fluid admitted from this port would act on the vanes in theopposite direction from the fluid admitted from port 35. As aconsequence, the rotor would remain at a stand still. This is one of thereasons why the sealing means is so important since it makes itimpossible for fluid being supplied through conduit 4| to escape betweenthe casing 5 and the housing I v to the port 31 and enter the casingthrough this port. If such leakage were possible, the rotor would soonbe brought to a stand still. The same is true when conduit 43 and port31 are supplying the fluid pressure.

However, sincethesesealing means are provided, the pressure fluid isintroduced by either conduit 4| or conduit 43 to the rotor and, afterhaving expended its force on the rotor, escapes through the port 5|. Theport 41 and the conduit 43, of course, are utilized when it is desiredto reverse the direction of rotation of the rotor and to revolve it in aclockwise direction.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to amulti-vane reversible motor for the sake of convenience the invention isequally adaptable to a non-reversible motor and to many other types ofmotors and devices and, accordingly, the scope of the invention-is notto be limited save as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a multi-vane motor for a drill and the like, a housing, a casing inthe housing, a rotor in the casing, an inlet port in the casing to admitfluid under pressure to actuate the rotor, a. conduit to supply fluidunder pressure to the inlet port having an enlarged passage adjacent theinlet port, and a flexible member formed with a thin walled cylinderterminating at one end in an annular internal flange adapted to rest inthe enlarged passage and to bear against the passage walls and the wallof the casing when fluid under pressure is supplied to the rotor andthereby eflect a seal between the inlet port and conduit, and an exhaustport for the casing.

FRANCIS A. JIMERSON.

